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How to secure wall cabinet to brick wall?

Hi all,

Thanks for all of your help so far during our diy kitchen reno it’s been great!
Im on my last stretch now and wanting to tackle the wall cabinets. The previous wall cabinets were nailed into the brick here so when we removed it there were a few holes in the render which we patched up.

however a few weeks ago I had a sparky come in to install a PowerPoint for my upcoming range hood installation and he used a rotary drill and broke through all the render / mortar and bolted the wire into the brick using a unsuitable drill and screws and in the process he said he “blew through” some of the brick.

now I’m a bit uncertain if it is still ok to put wall cabinets onto this wall. I’ve attached a few photos below of where the walls cabinets will sit and the state of the wall now. We’ve patched it up using wall patching metal grids and compound over it. Most of the cabinets will miss the holes but not sure if it’s still ok to put in?

we are using a masonry drill bit and 14g ramset masonry screws 100mm and the cabinets will have a 18mm thick back.

Any help would be so greatly appreciated!!

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Jewelleryrescue

Hi @JR2

Your solution

we are using a masonry drill bit and 14g ramset masonry screws 100mm and the cabinets will have a 18mm thick back.

Is plenty strong enough If you feel unsure add an extra ramset to the top first then bottom to the floating cupboards.

Stand alone 2 is plenty.

Stating the obvious here just note where the wire runs and avoid drilling there in relation to the cup board mounting strip.

JacobZ

Hi @JR2,

Bricks can blow out, it's fairly common, so you should take all precautions possible to ensure it doesn't happen.

As @Jewelleryrescue has said, the 14g 100mm masonry screws are plenty strong, but we need to ensure the brick doesn't blow out while installing them.

Masonry screws are good, but there is certainly an increased risk of blowing out the bricks as they work by cutting into the brick while they are screwed in. There is a lot less room for error than with other methods.

For this reason, I'd suggest using Ramset 8mm Blue Wall Plugs with 10G x 100mm Chipboard Screws instead.

From the exposed bricks on the wall, you can get a rough idea of where each course runs, so it is worth measuring up and marking where the bricks run and locating your plugs accordingly. You need to hit the bricks, not the mortar between.

You'll need a minimum of four screws per cabinet. Two at the top and two at the bottom depending. If they are larger cabinets, there should be one at the top and one at the bottom every 450mm at most.

Predrill the holes and tap the plugs into the wall before snipping them off flush. You'll need to do this before the cabinets are located, so predrilling the cabinets is a bit tricky as you'll need to perfectly locate the plugs.

My suggestion is to put a dab of paint on the plugs and while still wet, press the cabinet against the wall so the paint locations transfer to the back of the cabinet. You can then predrill through the back of the cabinets to locate your screws.

I won't sugarcoat it; this is not going to be easy, but if you take the time and mark things out it is certainly possible.

If you're not comfortable with this, it is likely best that you contact a professional for their assistance.

Let me know what you think.

Jacob

JR2

Thank you! We used that drill bit and masonry screw for our base cabinets and they held up well. The wall cabinets themselves are approx 10kg each, so we only need 2 screws per cabinets only at the top?

JacobZ

Hi @JR2,

You need to consider the weight of the cabinet and anything that may be stored inside it in future.

I would strongly suggest using more than two screws.

Jacob

JR2

Got it, thank you! I will look into the plugs. Our current masonry drill bit is 6mm wide. Do we need to change our drill bit size?

based on the photos and the impact the wall has already received from the rotary drill, is it still ok to drill into the wall? I would assume that brick walls are quite stable and as long as I avoid the sections that have been impacted it should be ok? Let me know if there’s anything else I need to do to reinforce the wall, or if this is a common situation that can be worked through via the methods provided above.

JacobZ

Hi @JR2,

Yes, you will need to get an 8mm masonry bit for the blue plugs I recommended.

From the limited amount of exposed brick I can see in your images, it doesn't look too bad, and a few small holes are unlikely to adversely affect the wall.

With this being said, I am not qualified to determine its structural integrity. If you're concerned about the structural integrity of the wall, you'll need to speak with a professional such as a licenced builder or engineer for their assessment. Unfortunately, I can't offer advice on structural rectifications.

Jacob

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